The Texas Longhorns have long desired to climb back atop the college football mountain. After Mack Brown's departure in 2013, the program toiled in mediocrity for the better part of a decade, and it wasn’t until Steve Sarkisian and his prolific offensive scheme arrived in Austin that everything turned around.
Since that moment, which many at the time reviled, the Longhorns have made the College Football Playoff twice and have remained consistently relevant. Yet the ultimate goal of a national championship still hasn’t been accomplished.
Longhorns portal success raises National title hopes for 2026
If the substantial funds of the nation’s most profitable athletic department have any influence, then college football’s ultimate prize may be in Texas’ capital around this time next year. With a spending spree that rivals that of NFL free agency, which is pretty much what college football’s offseason is at this point, the Longhorns are assembling a roster that’s filled to the brim with superstar talent to pair alongside quarterback Arch Manning.
The most notable addition is former Auburn superstar wide receiver Cam Coleman, who announced Sunday that he committed to Texas. Several other schools, including Longhorns rivals Texas A&M and Texas Tech, courted Coleman, but it was ultimately Sarkisian’s call that resonated most. Or perhaps it was the money. Either way, Coleman is reportedly set to receive at least $2 million in his final college season, which is an astonishing amount of money for a player at his position. Still, given his pedigree, it makes sense.
MORE: Arch Manning has a new No. 1 WR after Texas lands star SEC receiver in transfer portal
Then there’s the running back duo of Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers, two players Sarkisian hopes will boost a Texas rushing attack that was subpar, to say the least. Smothers’ recruitment caught the eye of many in the college football universe, as the former NC State star originally committed to Alabama before flipping to Texas. Proof that money indeed talks.
Texas currently has the best transfer portal class in America, with just a few days left before the window to add new players closes. That success is a result of a couple of things. For one, it speaks to just how invested Sarkisian is in winning next season with Manning at the helm. While the former No. 1 overall recruit wasn’t the Heisman-level signal caller some thought he could be, he flashed brilliance that lends credence to the theory he’ll be able to lead Texas to a championship in 2026. It also shows that those in the sport with mighty resources can still use them to supersede the competition.
While it’s not a certainty that this spending spree will result in a title for Texas, it makes it far more possible that Arch Manning, Cam Coleman, Raleek Brown, and Hollywood Smothers could all have rings on their fingers next January.
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